1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process and an installation for pickling a strip which is produced in a thin slab installation and subsequently hot-rolled, especially a low-carbon steel strip, in a continuous process immediately following the rolling process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For certain single-purpose products produced in large batch numbers, a coupling between a thin-slab casting installation, a hot strip rolling mill, and a pickling installation is meaningful. At the present time no such couplings are known. Underlying the idea of providing such an installation and the associated process is the fact that thin hot strip can be produced less expensively than cold strip. However, when hot strip is to be substituted for cold strip only pickled hot strip can be used, so that surface protection and coating can be applied to the finished strip without difficulty. In order to provide a meaningful connection of the casting installation, hot strip rolling mill and pickling installation, the entire installation must work inline so that all speeds must be adapted to one another while taking into account the casting process and rolling process. Duplication of installation components is to be avoided as far as possible so that the installation can be constructed at low cost and operate productively.
The chief problem in creating an installation suited to the task at hand and in implementing the work process operated therein is adapting the pickling time to the speeds determined by hot strip production. This is because the pickling arrangement must be capable of processing different strip thicknesses and speeds in an optimum manner. Pickling installations work favorably with cold strip at approximately 90.degree. C.
A work process for pickling a strip produced in a thin slab installation and subsequently hot-rolled is meaningful when large batch numbers can be processed, low-carbon steels being especially suited for carrying out the process.